Offering a wide selection of jobs in accountancy we are often asked for our top tips when it comes to writing a powerful CV. Here are our top tips to help you to secure an interview and progress your career as an accountant.
• Sell yourself – If you’re an accountancy graduate without much experience then highlight the qualifications you’ve earned or anything extra you’ve done to improve your industry knowledge. If you’ve got lots of work experience, just none of it in finance and accounting, then focus on the skills you’ve acquired that are transferable such as excel skills or database experience.
• Experience is key – place all your work experience in date order with the most recent first and state the dates you started and finished each role. Consider including a personal profile at the start of your CV. This just needs to be a few lines long and should say something about what you are currently doing and where you are headed. Don’t just list skills without backing them up. If you say you are able to deal with people at a senior level or work well as part of a team make sure you support each statement with examples of when you’ve demonstrated the skill.
• Write for your audience – Tailor your CV to the job you are applying for. The job specification will show you the key skills and experience required for the role so make sure these skills are the focus of your CV. Include a paragraph about your interests and hobbies. This gives your CV more of a personal feel and lets the employer know there’s more to you than accountancy!
• Avoid jargon or clichés – The worst offenders are things like: team player, can-do attitude, results oriented or good communicator. If you have these skills then they should be apparent from the duties and achievements on your CV.
• Don’t forget the basics – Your CV needs to be clear, concise and well written and no longer than 2 or 3 pages. Check your CV thoroughly for any errors in spelling or grammar and get someone else to proof read it. This is your first impression and you should aim to impress!
www.ijobsfinancial.co.uk is a leading online jobsite for accountancy jobs, finance jobs, banking jobs and insurance jobs in the UK and internationally. Whether you are looking to get into these professions or want to progress your career we have a wide range of new vacancies posted daily.